Dubai Tourism champions vocational education with the launch of Dubai College Of Tourism

DUBAI, 25th April, 2017 (WAM) -- Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing, also known as Dubai Tourism, has announced the launch of the Dubai College of Tourism, DCT, an institution dedicated to training the next generation of tourism professionals and providing school leavers with an alternative option for further education, that bridges the gap between in-house training and a full bachelor’s degree. The Government backed vocational college will be accepting its first batch of students in September 2017.

DCT’s mandate is to educate and empower future leaders, entrepreneurs and employees of Dubai’s expanding tourism industry, ensuring a steady pipeline of highly trained hospitality professionals for the city.

The opening of the institution is in line with Dubai Tourism’s strategy, that aims to welcome 20 million visitors to the city by 2020. In addition, the college will also serve as the base to develop and roll out training and industry on-boarding programmes that encourage young UAE Nationals to be part of the city’s evolving tourism sector.

DCT’s focus on vocational led education addresses the need to increase the number of technical education options across the emirate, to help students specialise in a particular trade.

The college's practical and flexible vocational courses are focused around five core faculties, tourism, events, hospitality, retail and culinary arts, and have been designed to help young people learn various trade and soft skills from established professionals in the industry.

The educational programmes will be accredited by Dubai’s Knowledge and Human Development Authority, KHDA, and DCT has also partnered with Australian vocational educational experts TAFE SA, whose advisors will be providing curriculum development support and teacher training expertise.

Essa bin Hadher, General Manager of DCT, said, "Developing a knowledgeable and well-rounded hospitality workforce that delivers exceptional customer service is key to Dubai’s rapidly expanding tourism industry. Supported by the Government, Dubai College of Tourism is dedicated to delivering ‘best-in-class’ vocational educational programmes that will develop key skills, provide practical on-the-job experience and ensure we meet the needs of both learners and employers."

"The college’s strong relationships with industry stakeholders, many of whom are members of our Advisory Board, will mean that we are best positioned to help our students find jobs after they have completed their training. We will nurture and hone the talent of Dubai’s young people, both expat and Emirati, who want to study, work and succeed in the city they have grown up in and call home," he added.

DCT will be welcoming its first intake of students in the college’s ‘Introduction to the Tourism Industry’ programme in September 2017. Individual and in-depth certificate and diploma courses for each faculty will be introduced from January 2018 onwards.

DCT is now accepting applications for the September 2017 ‘Introduction to the Tourism Industry’ programme via the college's website.